Three Wise Men

Google Chrome for Linux has arrived

Just recently Google announced availability of Google Chrome for Linux¹ so if you have Ubuntu 8.04² or Debian 5 then clickety-click here and you can download unstable release of Chrome.

Make sure you read the small print:

“Note: The Linux build still lacks certain privacy features, and is not appropriate for general consumer use.”

Chrome is still unstable, but the second half of this post will be written in Chrome.

First I’ve noticed few bugs with Zemanta Plugin for WordPress, but other than that, I must admit, this thing is bloody fast, really. I somehow dislike tabs directly under window titlebar, but that is something that needs getting used to. There are still few things that need to be worked on, but Chrome for Linux looks promising.

When I tried Google Picasa last time it was just a WINE wrapped windows version, what the situation is now, I don’t know. Chrome is a native linux executable. Poking it with ldd -v will tell you that it is linked with GTK and Xorg libraries, libcairo and libpango and some other not so significant stuff. I am curious why is it linked with Xdmcp, but it might be some dependancy.

Two serious things why it can’t replace my Firefox are the lack of search bar and no support for importing my certificates which means no e-banking for me. Something I can’t live without. Third, not so serious, bug is strange behavior of Zemanta Plugin, I’ve already sent them a bug report about it.

I just found out. There is no flash support, now this blows. Or it might be a feature for some people.

End results are quite positive after few hours of usage. No crashes and really, really fast rendering. Speed impressed me.

Related articles by Zemanta

• Google Chrome for Mac and Linux, Dev Preview (googlesystem.blogspot.com)
• Google releases Chrome preview for Mac OS X and Linux (arstechnica.com)
• Google debuts Chrome for Mac, Linux (news.cnet.com)
• Download Google Chrome for Mac and Linux (livecrunch.com)

1. Mac OS X too [↩]
2. Later versions will also work [↩]

Hiding your secrets – Encrypting your hard drive

Sometimes protecting your computer with BIOS passwords and login passwords just doesn’t cut it. Your computer being stolen is one of such examples. When someone has physical access to your computer it is more or less cakewalk for them to access your data. They can simply disconnect your hard drive, put it in another computer and access all the data on it.

How to prevent this? Read on.

READ MORE

Installing your own Mac OS X – on a non Apple

Bite Me!

Trolling and bashing on the internet forums can be fun, but the real fun starts when you have arguments that back you up. Imagine one linux zealot like me engaging in pissing contests with Apple fanboys, Mac users, OS X enthusiasts. The really bad way of losing an argument is due to: “How can you know, you never used it”.

What I did with Vista, I had to do with OS X too. I’ve gone and install OS X on my PC, PC that was not sold by Apple and shouldn’t run OS X anyway. Do you want to know how I did it? My experiences, the nitpicking, the problems and the joys of using OS X? Read on!
READ MORE